Christmas, Cartwright Style
by Panamint
Summary: Yes, I know it's out of season, but who cares? IT HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED, JUST REPOSTED. Thank you! XD
1. Preparations for the Party

_**Christmas, Cartwright Style**_

_**Written 11/30/03 to 12/16/03**_

**DISCLAIMER: **Okay, I stole the Cartwrights from Paramount or whoever owns 'em these days. I also stole the title from... somebody.

And no, I do not own Joe's snowballs, either. You want 'em? You'll have to ask MGM, becauseI borrowed them from one of their movies.

* * *

_**Part One: **_

_**Preparations for the Party**_

"So, can I open my presents now?"

"How many times must I tell you, Joseph? _Not yet!_"

"Awwwww…"

"And no whining either!"

It was the day before Christmas, 1852, and the youngest Cartwright was getting impatient. So was his father.

"How about now?" the ten-year-old asked.

"Later!" Ben responded, trying to keep his temper under control. Little Joe sure could be a handful sometimes.

Joe, who was hopping from one foot to the other, kept glancing at the big grandfather clock near the door. Twenty seconds passed.

"Okay, it's later. Can I open my presents now? Please!" Joe begged, still skipping around anxiously. Ben sighed. If there was one word to describe his son at that moment, it would be 'annoying'.

"You can keep Rocky, and that's one of your Christmas presents," Ben informed Little Joe. Rocky was the black dog Joe had found and raised—against the wishes of his father—for the past few months. When he saw how much love and time Joe had put into making the dog happy, Ben decided to let Joe keep him, against his better judgment.

"So why can't you be satisfied with that until tomorrow?"

Little Joe seemed to think about that one for a minute.

"That's true. Maybe I'll go outside and play with Rocky. He likes the snow!" Joe said enthusiastically. He ran to the coat and hat rack, which hung on the wall near the door, and threw on his gloves, hat and pine green coat. In his haste to get out, Joe nearly bumped into one of his older brothers, Hoss. With a quick, muttered apology, Joe dashed outside and began calling for his new pet.

_Now maybe I can get some work done around here!_ Ben thought, relieved that Joe finally had something to do besides bother him. While Little Joe had been complaining about Christmas presents, Ben had been trying to put the finishing touches on the Christmas tree. Without Joe, it would be a lot easier.

"What was that all about, Pa? Joe seemed mighty anxious ta git outta here," Hoss asked. He was Ben's middle son. He was six years older than Joe and six years younger than Adam, the oldest. But he was much larger than Joe or Adam, or even Ben himself.

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, he can stay out of here until the party tonight!" Ben said forcefully.

"Is he in trouble agin?"

"No, but I think he would have been if he hadn't left when he did!" Ben hung the last ornament on the tree. "There, that should do it." He turned to Hoss and asked, "Why is it that neither you nor Adam complained about opening your presents early, but Little Joe does?"

"I dunno, Pa. But, no matter what the reason is, I think you'd better git used ta havin' white hair, cause Joe is jist gonna stay Joe forever and ever!" Hoss laughed. He had since taken off his coat and was warming his hands in front of the fire. Ben sighed in reply.

From outside, the two could hear Little Joe's playful shouts and giggles as he ran around outside with the equally active Rocky. Hoss stood up, pulled back the curtain from the window and watched his brother for a moment. He smiled.

"Little Joe always seems so cute and playful when he's outside," Hoss commented. "But when he's inside, you don't even wanna think about what happens!"

Ben couldn't help but laugh a little. It was mostly true. But he had to admit that, without Joe, life on the Ponderosa would be awfully dull.

The eldest Cartwright brother, Adam, came inside a minute later with an armful of logs. His right arm was covered in melting snow, as if it had been hit by a snowball.

"Don't tell me," Ben said, shutting his eyes. "Little Joe."

Adam nodded. "I think he's pretending that he's D'Artagnan and I'm Cardinal Richelieu," he said, sounding annoyed but looking amused. Hoss took the logs from him and put them on the fire while Adam tore off his wet coat and hung it up.

"Well, you've done a good job of decorating, Pa. Anything I can do to help?" Adam offered, looking around at the already beautiful scenery. Four stockings hung in front of the fire (put up by Joe, who had fallen off the ladder while hanging up his own). Garlands were strung across the ceiling from end to end. There was a huge Ponderosa pine in the corner, all covered in ornaments and a few of the gingerbread men that the cook, Hop Sing, had made the night before. He was working on some more right now because, if he knew Hoss, there would be a few gingerbread men missing before the day was over.

"I do need some help moving the furniture so that there's enough room for dancing," Ben agreed, grateful to Adam for offering.

"What's the matter, Pa? Gettin' too old to do it yerself?" Hoss smiled. Ben glared at him, but it was good-natured.

"Never mind that," Adam told Hoss. "We've got to move the furniture before Little Joe comes back in. Remember last year? He practically broke his foot while we were moving one of the chairs!"

"Oh, I don't think Joe will be back in here for a while, son," Ben announced. He leaned against the settee as he said, "We always have to drag him back inside when it snows, remember?"

"Let's just hope he doesn't decide that Cardinal Richelieu and Lady de Winter are holding one of the Three Musketeers hostage inside, or we'll be in for it!" Adam smirked.

"Well, if he dares to touch one of those epees…" Ben never finished the sentence. His third wife and Joe's mother, Marie, had brought a couple epees with her from New Orleans. It seemed as if Little Joe had wanted to play with them ever since before he could walk.

"Aw, come on, Little Joe's just a kid. He wants to have fun," Hoss said in his brother's defense. The two youngest Cartwrights were always sticking up for each other.

"Oh, and what a Merry Christmas that would be, with one of us run through with a New Orleans monkey pick!" Adam exclaimed sarcastically.

"Let's just get this furniture moved," Ben suggested, sounding tired. Adam and Hoss grabbed the other end of the settee and pulled it out of the living room.

-

"Boy am I ever hungry!" Hoss stretched as he said this. The three eldest Cartwrights had spent the whole morning pushing furniture around to make room for the guests.

"You're always hungry!" Adam contradicted.

"He's right, though," Ben stated. "Look at the time; it's nearly 12:00."

"We'd better call in Little Joe afore Hop Sing calls for us and threatens ta go back ta China when we don't come right away!" Hoss exclaimed, looking horrified at the very idea of the beloved cook leaving. Hoss ran outside, followed closely by Ben and Adam.

"Little Joe!" Ben shouted, but his youngest son was nowhere to be seen. "Joe! This is no time for games! Lunch is almost—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a snowball hit him in the arm—hard.

Before long, the sound of Little Joe's unmistakable giggles filled the air. The noise came from one of the trees that grew around the house. Rocky was standing there in front of them, wagging his tail eagerly, as if he was in on Joe's plan.

"You know something, Pa," Adam began. "If you had just asked me not to read to Joe at night, you might not have this problem today, because he wouldn't be D'Artagnan and I wouldn't be Cardinal Richelieu. All you had to do was _ask_."

Unfortunately, Joe heard what Adam said and threw a snowball at him, too. Then he leapt out of the tree and walked over to the other Cartwrights, still laughing.

Adam was beginning to suspect those snowballs. He picked up the lump of snow that had once been his brother's weapon and examined it.

"Snowballs with rocks in them!" he exclaimed, looking at the silver stone that had been hidden inside the snow. When Adam discovered his secret, Joe laughed even harder. He stopped and fell to his knees, unable to go any farther.

"That does it!" Adam yelled. "Come 'ere, you little runt!"

Adam dashed after Joe, who had managed to get to his feet and start running by this time. He was still laughing as he tried to escape his older brother's grasp and fury. Ben watched, trying not to chuckle at his sons' antics. No matter how much trouble he was, Little Joe was a very fun person to be around.

Hoss, however, was getting impatient.

"I'll stop 'em, Pa. Then mebbe we kin git inside an' eat lunch!" Hoss made a move towards Adam and Joe, but Ben grabbed his arm.

"I wouldn't interfere if I were you," he warned. "You know how those two get when they're having an argument."

"Don't you worry, Pa. I kin handle it."

Hoss noticed that Little Joe was coming towards him at top speed. So he stuck his leg out. Joe, who was too busy concentrating on the figure behind him, didn't see Hoss' leg and tripped over it, tumbling to a stop in the snow. Adam, in turned, tripped over Hoss' outstretched limb and then toppled over Joe. Joe cried out in pain and shock as his brother did a flip over his back. Both brothers sat in the snow, panting.

"Now mebbe that'll teach ya not to chase each other around in the snow, especially jist before lunch," Hoss said, looking pleased with himself. Ben didn't miss the sneaky looks Adam and Little Joe exchanged.

"Oh, we won't chase each other anymore," Adam assured his big little brother.

"Yeah, cause we'll be too busy chasing you!" Joe put in. He jumped up from where he lay in the snow and ran after Hoss. Adam did the same.

"Wha—? HEY!" Hoss yelled, and he began running across the yard. Joe was much quicker than Hoss and had soon leapt on his back, whooping and hollering the whole time, while Adam wasn't too far behind.

"I told him he shouldn't have interfered," Ben said to himself with a smile.

-

"Do I hafta?" Joe whined. It was about an hour after lunch, and the Cartwrights and Hop Sing were putting the finishing touches on their party plans.

"Yes, you have to!" Ben told the boy sternly. "Just as soon as Hoss finishes his bath, you'll have yours!"

"Awwwww…"

"And don't whine!"

Joe made a face and sunk lower into the settee. With his arms folded across his chest and the evil scowl that still lingered on his face, he was the very picture of misery. However, just as quickly as the foul mood came on, it was over. Little Joe sat up and started talking.

"Who did you invite to the Christmas Eve Party, Adam?" he asked.

"None of your business, younger brother," Adam replied, who was reading _The Three Musketeers _on the settee—at least, he was trying to. "Why don't you ask Hoss?"

"Because he's taking a bath. Besides, I already know who he's taking," Joe announced.

That grabbed Adam's attention. He had been trying to get Hoss to tell him who he was taking to the dance for days. But Adam knew what Joe was up to: the plan was that Adam would ask who Hoss' date was, and Joe would tell him—_after_ Adam told Joe who his own date was. No, no matter how curious Adam was, he could wait until the party.

Sensing this, Joe changed the subject.

"What did you get me for Christmas, Adam?"

"Would you quit asking such personal questions? Can't a person keep a secret around here?"

"It's my present, so why shouldn't I know what it is?"

"Because it's still mine until tomorrow."

"If you tell me what my present is, I'll tell you what yours is."

"NO!"

Little Joe sighed, and was forced to give up the fight once again. He noticed Rocky was sitting on the floor, looking up at him with big, brown, puppy-dog eyes. Joe patted his lap and Rocky leapt up onto the settee. Joe smiled and stroked the dog's soft black fur. Adam saw Rocky on Joe's lap and frowned.

"Pa says that Rocky isn't allowed on the furniture. You know that," he scolded.

"Don't be such a sourpuss," Joe told him.

"You'll get into trouble with Pa."

"Lighten up, already! It's almost Christmas! Besides, he's on my lap, not the furniture."

"Okay, but don't blame me when Pa lectures you for breaking the rules," Adam said, thinking he had finished the conversation. But Little Joe got the upper hand for once when he stuck his tongue out at his strict older brother. Adam got no chance to respond, because Ben came in at that moment, just missing Joe's lack of manners toward his brother—and Rocky's leap to the floor.

"Alright, Joe, its time for you to have a bath, and absolutely _no whining_!" Ben said, wagging his finger in Joe's direction.

"Who, me?" Little Joe replied, looking as innocent as he could. Joe walked off to have his bath, still looking so innocent it was hard for Ben, Adam and Hoss—who had just came into the room—not to smile. When Joe was out of earshot, they all burst out laughing.

"Okay, everyone," Ben spoke up first once the laughter had died down. "Let's get back to work. Hoss, you help Hop Sing in the kitchen. Adam, you come with me to set up the table."

"Pa, are you sure it's wise to let… you know…" Adam looked uncomfortable.

"Now listen, Adam, I'm sure Hoss is reliable enough to go into a kitchen without eating all the food. And, if he isn't, we'll hear about it from Hop Sing soon enough!" Ben said.

"Pa! Come on!" Hoss yelled, his face turning bright red. "Ya both know you kin trust me! Watch! I won't eat a single piece o' food till its time fer the party!"

"Wanna make a bet on that, brother?" Adam said with a smirk.

"Yeah," Hoss agreed. "I'll bet… I'll bet a week's worth o' wages that I don't eat nothin' till the party."

"It's a bet!" Adam exclaimed, holding out his hand. Hoss shook it heartily.

"Okay, that's enough betting, you two," Ben interrupted. "We've got work to do, and I'm sure Hop Sing will appreciate your help—as long as you stick to the bet."

"I WILL stick to this bet, Pa. Just you watch. I'll git the best of ol' Adam yit!" _I hope, _Hoss added to himself.

He walked off into the kitchen while Ben and Adam set up the table in the living room. Everything smelled so good! The gingerbread cookies, the cakes, the punch… not eating anything until the party was going to be much harder than Hoss had thought.

-

It was only five minutes later when Little Joe came back into the living room with a towel still wrapped around his slim shoulders.

"Hi, Pa," he said with a big smile, drying off his hair a little more with the towel.

"Back so fast?" Ben asked, not looking up from where he was helping Adam arrange the tablecloth. "You cleaned everywhere, right?"

"Of course I did!" Joe protested while doing his best to look and sound offended. Adam glanced up and saw Joe's soaking wet hair and the towel.

"Hop Sing isn't going to be thrilled when he sees that a certain little somebody has dripped water all across the floor because he didn't dry off immediately after his bath," Adam commented. He grabbed the towel from Joe and draped it over the boy's head, then began rubbing as hard and as fast as he could.

"HEY!" Joe squealed. He began to laugh. Ben looked up and laughed, too. It wasn't often Adam and Little Joe had this much fun.

Adam pulled the towel off and inspected his work. Satisfied, he tossed the towel back at Joe. He giggled once more then went to put the towel away.

_I wonder how Hoss is doing with our bet, _Adam wondered as he straightened the wrinkles out of the cloth. _I wish that I could be there with him to make double-sure he doesn't cheat._

Joe came back into the room and hopped up onto the credenza to watch his father and brother at work.

_Hmmmm…_

Adam had an idea.

He casually walked over to Little Joe who was staring at them with big, excited eyes.

"Uh, Joe?" Adam began, his voice barely a whisper.

"Yeah?" Joe asked, just as quietly.

"I have a favor to ask you. Now it's not what you think," he added hastily when Joe pulled a long face. "While you were taking a bath, Hoss and I made a bet. We put up a week's worth of wages each that he wouldn't eat anything until the party tonight."

"Really?" Joe's eyes grew even wider. He knew that Hoss not eating for hours at a time was next to impossible.

"Yes, really. Now what I want you to do for me is to go into the kitchen and just… stay there… and make sure Hoss doesn't eat anything. If he does, let me know."

"What do I get out of it?"

"If you do a good job, I'll give you the dollar I have left over from Christmas shopping."

"A whole dollar! Wow!" Joe cried.

Until that moment, Ben hadn't suspected anything. He figured that Adam had merely gone to talk to his brother for a minute, which was natural. But now…

"Okay, you two, what's going on?"

"He's gonna give me a dollar if I make sure Hoss doesn't eat anything till the party! Bye!" Joe dashed into the kitchen before Ben could stop him. So he turned to Adam for the answers instead.

"Adam, are you sure you didn't bribe Little Joe to convince Hoss to eat something?" Ben asked suspiciously.

"Pa, you know me better than that! I wouldn't cheat!" Adam insisted. "I just want to make sure Hoss doesn't eat anything until the party, and Joe will do just about anything as long as there's money or candy involved."

"Well, okay, but if I hear anything about this being an unfair bet, _I'll_ get both your wages for a week! Now come on, we have to finish up the table."

Adam took one last glance towards the kitchen and followed his father.

-

Joe, excited at the idea of getting a dollar from Adam just for watching Hoss, skipped into the kitchen and was greeted by a host of delicious smells. Hop Sing and Hoss were standing over something. It appeared as if they were concentrating. Not wanting to disturb them, Joe hopped onto the kitchen table and waited for someone to notice him.

"I'll git some more o' them cookies, Hop Sing," Hoss said. He turned around and saw Joe staring at him with his hazel-green eyes. Hoss saw mischief in those eyes...

"Joe! What are you doin' in here?" Hoss said.

"Watchin'. Got a problem with that?" Little Joe asked. Hoss knew that Joe was pretty fresh for adding that last sentence, but it was almost Christmas. Besides, Hoss could never bring himself to tattle on his little brother. Joe was the only little brother he had.

"So can I stay or not?" Joe asked.

"Fine, but stay out o' the way."

Hoss picked up a plate of gingerbread cookies and brought it over to the cook—but not before Joe could steal one and stick it in his mouth. The boy's move was so fast and discreet that Hoss didn't notice. Hoss put the plate on the counter. Hop Sing counted the cookies on the plate and frowned.

"I make ten cookies to finish house, now only nine," the cook stated. The first person Hop Sing suspected was Hoss.

"Hey, I didn't take no cookies. I got a bet to win, I'm gonna win it!" Hoss claimed. There was only one other person in the kitchen and both men knew who the culprit was. Hoss and Hop Sing turned around and glared at Little Joe, who had just polished off the snack.

"What?" Joe asked, as innocent as could be.

"Don't 'what' me, little brother! You swiped that cookie and you know it!" Hoss accused, advancing on Joe. But Joe sat calmly on the table.

"Who, me?" Joe pretended to be interested in the wooden table he was perched on, and Hoss, even though he knew Joe was to blame, began to cool off. But, if there was one person in the entire world that Joe couldn't win over with his big, puppy-dog eyes and guiltless smile, it was Hop Sing.

The angered cook began yelling at Little Joe in his native language. Joe hid a smile. Although he didn't understand a word of what Hop Sing was saying, he had heard this speech several times before, and knew what the basic idea was.

The next thing Hop Sing did, much to everyone's surprise, was pick up a rolling pin off the counter and bonk Joe over the head with it.

"HEY!" Joe screamed, throwing his arms over his head for protection. "It was just one cookie! It wasn't that important!"

By this time, Hoss was practically rolling on the floor laughing.

"Come on, big brother! Ouch! Help me out here! Ow, that hurt! Hoss!" Joe begged, still trying to dodge Hop Sing's blows without much success.

"Okay, Hop Sing, I reckon Shortshanks has learned his lesson about stealin' cookies by now," Hoss said, prying the rolling pin from the cook's hands. Hop Sing said a couple things to Hoss that nobody except he could understand and went back to decorating the big gingerbread house. Joe sighed, relieved.

"Gee, thanks, Hoss," he grinned up at his older brother. "Remind me to do the same for you sometime."

Hoss blushed. "Aw, Joe, I know ya woulda done the same fer me." Hoss turned around and went back to helping Hop Sing with the house. Little Joe jumped off the table and walked over to where they were working. Hop Sing instantly moved the house away from Joe and threw an evil glare in his direction.

"Don't worry, Hop Sing, I won't steal anymore cookies," Joe assured him with a laugh. Even so, Hop Sing kept the house just out of the boy's reach.

"That looks nice," Joe commented. Hop Sing just glared at him again and went on gluing pieces of gingerbread on with white frosting. Hoss was watching with big, hungry eyes. He wished he could have a bite—even a crumb—but he'd lose a week's wages if he did. So, for the moment, Hoss managed to keep his urges to eat under control.

-

"Well, that's as straight as we'll ever get it." Ben and Adam stepped away from the table and examined it. They were quite pleased with the way the tablecloth hung. (A/N And don't you dare ask what took them so long with the stupid cloth!) "Now all we need is some food to put on it."

"Speaking of food, I wonder how Hoss is doing at _not _eating," Adam commented, glancing towards the kitchen for the millionth time.

"Stop worrying, Adam. Like you said, Joe will do just about anything for money or candy," Ben told him. He could see his words were having no effect on Adam. "Tell you what: now that this is done, we'll go into the kitchen and see how things are turning out."

Adam nodded his agreement.

Everything appeared to be in perfect order when they arrived. Hop Sing was making a gingerbread house, and Hoss and Little Joe were watching with eager eyes and big smiles. Joe noticed the visitors first.

"Hi, Pa! Hi, Adam!" he greeted with a wave. Hoss looked up, too. Hop Sing was too busy to really notice.

"Pa, Adam," Hoss said.

"Hello, everybody." Adam walked closer to where Hop Sing was working. "Looks nice."

Hop Sing pulled the gingerbread house away from Adam.

"You no steal cookies, too!" Hop Sing declared.

Adam smiled triumphantly.

"Ah-ha!" he cried. Joe jumped in surprise and Hoss nearly hit Hop Sing's gingerbread house. "So, Hoss did eat something! Joe, why didn't you tell me?"

"But—" Joe began, but Adam interrupted.

"Okay, Hoss, it looks like I get a week's worth of your wages after all."

"Uh, Adam—" Hoss tried, but Adam was too worked up to notice.

"I should have known you couldn't keep your hands away from food for more than a few minutes..."

"ADAM!" Joe hollered at the top of his lungs. He had never been famous for his patience, and it had just run out. Adam stopped talking and looked at Little Joe.

"He didn't steal anything, I did! Believe me; I can still feel where Hop Sing hit me on the head with the rolling pin." Joe rubbed the sore spot and looked up at Adam, who appeared to be in shock. Even Ben seemed a little surprised. He had expected Hoss to at least _try_ to steal something.

"Hoss didn't steal anything?" Adam questioned.

"Nope. He's been real good," Joe replied with a big smile. "So can I have my dollar now?"

"It's not time for the party yet. There's still time," Adam declared and marched from the room. Joe giggled at his brother's rage.

"I'd better go light the candles on the tree. We only have about a half-hour until the guests start arriving," Ben announced. "Oh, and when you two are done in here, help carry out some of the platters. Then go get dressed."

"I am dressed," Joe protested.

"I mean in your best clothes and you know it."

"But the shirt itches and…"

"And _no whining!_ Haven't you done that enough for one day!" Ben sighed, exasperated, and left the room. Joe sighed too. Then he grabbed the full punch bowl and carried it out to the table.

-

_Come on, _Hoss said to himself. _Ya ain't had nothin' ta eat since lunch. The party's in twenty minutes. You kin make it, and get a week's worth of Adam's wages in the process!_

Hoss had been holding out well, but he wasn't sure whether he'd win the bet or starve to death trying.

Little Joe seemed to sense what Hoss was thinking.

"Look, personally, I'm with you, but Adam offered me a dollar to tell him if you did or didn't, so DON'T and I won't have to tell," Joe whispered as Hoss set a plate of sugar cookies on the table.

"Thanks fer the warnin'. I'll try ta hold out fer the next twenty minutes," Hoss answered. He could hear his stomach growling and knew that if he didn't eat soon, he'd definitely starve to death.

"You can do it!" Joe encouraged on their way back to the kitchen. Hoss gave him a grateful smile.

-

"Pa, does Rocky _absolutely _have to stay locked in my room during the party?" Little Joe asked in a pleading tone of voice. Joe had already asked this question a hundred times today—or so it seemed to Ben.

"Joe, how many times must we go through this? The answer was no ten minutes ago, and the answer is still no!" Ben answered; he was trying desperately to keep his temper in check.

Joe wasn't willing to give up just yet, though, so he tried again.

"Not even if he's really quiet?"

"No."

"Not even if he doesn't eat the food?"

"_No_."

"Not even—"

"JOSEPH!"

"Okay, okay," Joe mumbled. With a sigh that was completely unnecessary, Little Joe went to put Rocky in his bedroom for the evening.

"By the way," Ben added. Joe turned around with a hopeful look in his eyes. "Don't save any scraps from the party for Rocky. He's been getting a little too much food from you lately. You don't want a fat dog, do you?"

"No, I won't," Joe sighed. He continued up the stairs.

"Sorry, boy, but _Pa _says you have to stay in here," Joe said mournfully, looking at Rocky. The dog whined, as if he understood.

"What a way to spend Christmas Eve."

And Joe shut the door without a second look.

_**End of Part One**_

* * *

_The best Christmas present you could give me is a nice, fat review. Or maybe a nice, skinny review. _;) _As long as it is nice, who cares how much it weighs?_


	2. The Christmas Eve Party

_**Christmas, Cartwright Style**_

_**Part Two: The Christmas Eve Party**_

**DISCLAIMER: (sigh) No, I don't own them. I don't own anything, actually.**

* * *

The party had finally arrived. Adam was waiting outside for his date, Belinda Walker, to arrive. She was new to the Eagle Station community, and was just about the prettiest girl there was. She had long, red hair and adventurous green eyes that seemed to sparkle in the light. Belinda was a small person, barely taller than Adam's shoulder, and had the most beautiful, delicate hands Adam had ever laid eyes on. All in all, the 22-year-old had been thrilled when Belinda accepted his invitation to the Christmas Eve Party.

Of course, when he had told Pa about whom his date was Little Joe hadn't been there. If he had, Adam would have had to endure a whole lot of ribbing about love, girls and 'mushy stuff'.

Meanwhile, another young man was standing anxiously on the porch. Hoss' date, still unknown to Adam, was Martha Bessamin. The two had known each other all their lives, but only recently had Hoss discovered how lovely she was. Martha was a slender girl with black hair, big brown eyes and a fair complexion. She was the complete opposite of Hoss—bold, daring and a little impatient—but she had liked the shy young man from the moment they met, and was delighted when he finally got up the nerve to ask her to the party.

And, sitting on the steps between the two, was Little Joe. He didn't have a date for the party, needless to say.

To pass the time, Joe started a conversation.

"So, can I have my dollar now? I've already told you Hoss hasn't eaten anything," were the first words out of his mouth. Adam glanced down at him and, with a dramatic sigh, pulled a slightly crumpled one-dollar bill from his pocket. He didn't look as Joe took the bill.

"Thanks," and the boy skipped inside to put away his new-found wealth.

With Joe out of the way, Adam began a different conversation.

"So who is your date, Hoss? The only one who seems to know is Little Joe, and he won't tell."

"That's 'cause I asked him not to," Hoss replied with a secretive smile.

"Strange. He promised he'd tell me if I told him who I was taking," Adam put in. Hoss started.

"And he looked like he meant it, too."

That was the final straw, Adam knew. Hoss was furious, and he stormed inside, shouting Joe's name the whole way.

"What's going on here?" Ben asked, coming downstairs.

"Where's that little rascal, Joe? He promised he wouldn't tell who my date was, and he went and almost told Adam!" Hoss yelled.

"You said not to tell," came a voice from the kitchen. "You didn't say anything about almost telling." Hoss turned, and saw Little Joe staring at him with big, mischievous eyes.

"Come over here, you little—" Hoss made a move to grab Joe, but the smaller boy was too quick for him and disappeared into the kitchen with a laugh.

"Hey, Hoss! The guests are arriving!" Adam called.

"Who is it?"

"Uh… the Bessamins, I think."

"Oh, boy," Hoss muttered to himself. He straightened his tie and said, "I'm comin', Adam!"

Ben walked over to the credenza and waited. No more than a minute later, Hoss came in with pretty Martha Bessamin on his arm.

Joe stuck his head out of the kitchen and watched silently as Ben greeted the Bessamins. He grinned. Now was a good time to make an appearance—either that or get into big trouble. So he trotted out of the kitchen and into full-view.

"…and you've met Joseph before," Ben added when he noticed Little Joe standing next to him.

"Hi!" Little Joe smiled at Mr. and Mrs. and Martha Bessamin.

"Well, hello there, young man. Good to see you again," Jacob Bessamin greeted with an amused grin. He extended his hand. Joe shook it as Martha and Clara Bessamin nodded at him, looking equally amused.

Greetings overwith, Hoss took Martha aside; they stood by the fireplace, discussing nothing in particular. Mr. and Mrs. Bessamin continued to talk with Ben.

"I hope we're not early," Mrs. Bessamin said.

"Oh, nonsense!" Ben replied, just as the sound of another wagon came from outside. Adam checked to see who it was.

"The Walkers are here, Pa!" he exclaimed. Joe saw the twinkle in Adam's eyes that only appeared when a special girl was near. He smothered a giggle as Adam went outside. _I guess we all know who Adam's date is now_, he thought. Little Joe had never seen the Walker family before, but he had heard a lot about them from Adam over the dinner table. He had also heard that Fred Walker had lost his wife when Belinda was born; Mr. Walker had a son about Hoss' age and a daughter.

_She must be a real pretty one to get Adam so worked up! _

Sure enough, a beautiful, red-haired girl with a green-and-gold (NOT BLUE) dress walked through the door. Her arm was linked with Adam's.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you at last, Mr. Walker," Ben said with a smile as he shook the hand of a man with silvery hair. "Adam has told me a lot about you."

"Likewise, my Belinda hasn't stopped talking about your Adam," Mr. Walker replied, and Belinda blushed furiously.

"This," began Mr. Walker. "is my family. My son's name is Peter," A tall brown-haired boy waved. "And, as you know, this is my daughter, Belinda."

"That's my other son, Hoss," Ben pointed across the room where Hoss and Martha were engrossed in a conversation all their own. "And this is my youngest son, Little Joe."

"Hi!" Joe said again.

"Hello there, Little Joe," Mr. Walker said, obviously fooled by the angelic smile that Joe saved for just an occasion. But Adam wasn't as easily duped, and whispered to Belinda, "Don't let that smile of my brother's fool you. He's a mischievous little so-and-so…"

"Don't be ridiculous!" she whispered back. "Joe looks like such an angel!"

Joe was now talking with Peter about something.

"Looks can be deceiving. Trust me. I've had to live with him for the past ten years," Adam finished quietly. Louder he said, "May I treat you to some punch, Miss Walker?" Belinda giggled and nodded eagerly.

"…and he's so polite!" Joe accidentally-on-purpose heard Mr. Walker say to Ben after hearing Adam's offer to Belinda. Joe rolled his eyes and managed to keep the giggles to a minimum.

Over the course of the next ten minutes, the remainder of the guests arrived at the Ponderosa. Finally, when the last of them came through the door (the family name was Peterson, and had come from New York last year), the dancing began. Needless to say, Hoss and Adam took their girls out onto the floor before anyone else could ask. Peter Walker took a girl named Lena Miller by the hand and led her out to the floor. There was something about her that the Cartwrights didn't like—perhaps it was her snobbish ways—but they had invited Lena and her parents out of respect. After all, her father was the preacher at Eagle Station.

Little Joe sat on the stairs and watched the couples twirl round and round, from the fireplace to the door and back. A few of them soon grew weary and sat down on some chairs Ben and Adam had set up against the wall. Another couple, who Joe identified as Adam and Belinda, discreetly slipped out the door and didn't come back for a long time.

_Oooh, just wait till the party's over! I'm gonna have one heck of a story to tell Pa! _Joe smiled at the thought.

It had been an hour since the party had started. By this time, Little Joe had grown bored of watching the couples dance to waltzes and fox trots, so he walked over to the table to get something to eat.

Hop Sing had really outdone himself this year. The gingerbread house was in the middle as a centerpiece. It was three-quarters of a foot tall, and it was covered in frosting, peppermint sticks and gum drops. It wasn't intended for eating by the guests, though; the four Cartwrights—with Rocky's help—would probably polish it off by the day after tomorrowor possibly sooner, if Hoss' appetite didn't fail him.

To eat, there were cookies, tea sandwiches with an assortment of fillings and 'petit fours', as the French called them. Being part-French himself, Joe had been very curious about the miniature cakes; he had asked Adam what 'petit fours' meant (and received an "I don't speak French, how should I know?" as the answer) and insisted that Hop Sing let him help. The cook had been a little skeptical about letting Little Joe help after the cookie incident, but had finally relented, and Joe proved to be very trustworthy—except that Hop Sing had caught Joe with some of the frosting on his fingers...

"Hey, little brother!" Hoss called out to Joe. Joe looked up and saw Hoss and Martha standing next to him.

"Hi," Joe said, helping himself to one of the sugar cookies and a glass of punch. Trying to be friendly, he asked, "Havin' a good time?"

"The best," Martha agreed with a huge smile. "How are you doing, Little Joe?"

"Fine. Great party," he responded vaguely with a smile and a gesture towards all the decorations and people. Martha, however, saw through Joe's brave smile. When he turned away to eat the cookie, Martha whispered in Hoss' ear:

"Can he dance?"

"Dance? Who?" Hoss whispered back.

"Joe."

Hoss was too flabbergasted to answer immediately. "Why?" he finally asked.

"Because… well, he looks a little bored… and lonely."

"Ain't he a little young fer you?" Hoss teased. Martha smiled at the joke.

"Just one dance. Maybe it'll help lift his spirits. Now, back to the original question—can he dance?"

"Yeah, a little. Me an' Adam taught him a few dances last year."

"Then may I?"

"Go right ahead."

Hoss let go of Martha's hand with a big smile.

_Boy, is Joe ever gonna love this! But I get the feelin' that Adam's gonna say a few things about this lovely couple… well, iffen he does, I'll bop 'im one—fer Joe, of course._

Martha walked over to Little Joe and tapped him on the shoulder. Joe turned around and saw Martha's lovely dark eyes looking at him.

"I know it's a little unusual for the girl to ask the boy, but I would be honored if you'd share a dance with me, Mr. Cartwright," Martha beamed, curtsying a bit.

At first, Joe thought she had either lost her marbles, or was talking to somebody else. But when he saw Hoss nodding at him with a twinkle in his eye, Joe caught on.

"As you wish, Miss Bessamin," Joe giggled back, bowing as best he could. "Let's go! But first…"

Joe walked up to Hoss and shoved the half-empty punch glass into his hand.

"Hold this for me, will you, brother? I have a girl to please and a dance to dance!"

Without waiting for a reply, Joe and Martha went out onto the floor and began to dance. Hoss had to chuckle a little to himself at the sight of his baby brother dancing with Martha.

Adam, who had been sitting with Belinda, glanced towards the dancing couples and noticed the odd pair of 10-year-old boy and 15-year-old girl. He stared for a minute. Then he pointed the two out to Belinda. She giggled quietly.

"That's so sweet!" she whispered. Then, Belinda got an idea. "Adam, do you mind if _I _give it a try too? Just one dance, of course?"

"Okay," Adam agreed, a smile playing around his lips. "It should be very interesting to see what happens." Belinda giggled again and waited for the dance to end. When it did, Joe went back to the food-covered table. Belinda smiled at Adam and followed him.

"Excuse me," she said to Joe. He turned around and looked at Belinda.

"I couldn't help but notice how beautifully you danced just now," she continued.

"Thank you." Little Joe gave her a big smile. He liked getting praise.

"And I was just wondering if you'd do me the honor as well?"

Joe was a bit stunned. Here he was, only ten years old, and the girls were already paying more attention to him than to both his brothers combined!

"Of course, Miss Walker." Joe bowed with another huge grin spreading across his face, and the mix-matched couple waltzed out onto the floor. Hoss, who had been ready to give Little Joe his glass back, smiled to himself and put it down on the table.

"Looks like all the girls are takin' pity on my 'poor, lonely brother' tonight!" Hoss said to Martha. He offered his arm to her, and they began to waltz as well.

Adam, who had been watching the whole exchange, couldn't help but laugh just a little when he saw Joe out on the dance floor. In all his years, he never expected to see Joe dancing with a girl until he was at least 15. But there he was, dancing his heart out, and having a great time.

All this time, Ben had been conversing with some of the guests, including the Walkers and Bessamins. They had talked about everything from cattle to the Ponderosa to their sons and daughters, who were greatly enjoying themselves on the dance floor. At that moment, Ben was telling Mr. Bessamin about Little Joe.

"…he has a dog upstairs, too. Rocky—that's the dog's name—was actually a stray, but Joe brought him here and raised him—without my knowledge, of course," he was saying. Mr. Bessamin laughed.

"It sounds like that youngest boy of yours is quite a handful!" he said. "He's done everything from bringing wolf pups home to falling through the ice in Lake Tahoe to—"

"—to dancing!" Mrs. Bessamin put in. She pointed to all the couples and, right in the middle, was Joe, dancing with Belinda! Mr. Bessamin laughed again.

"Ben, you didn't tell me Little Joe danced! And so well, too!"

"I didn't know myself," Ben admitted, still staring at them. "I wonder who taught him…"

"Hoss and I did," Adam informed them all. "As you can see that was a big mistake; he stole my girl!"

Everyone laughed, and the music stopped.

"That was most delightful. Thank you," Belinda curtsied again, Joe bowed again, and they went their separate ways. When Little Joe picked up the glass of punch again, Hoss began to laugh. Joe gave him an evil look and took a drink.

All the Cartwrights had a pleasant time that evening. Ben had some very interesting conversations with most of the guests, and had even been persuaded to dance a couple of times. Adam had spent most of his time with Belinda, except when she had danced with Joe. If the room hadn't been filled with people, Adam probably would have laughed right out loud. Hoss, meanwhile, had made good progress with Martha. She danced nearly every dance with him and they had learned a lot about each other's interests and ideas. Little Joe had had a good evening, too. As soon as people had seen Martha dancing with him, Belinda had asked for a dance, and before he knew it, almost every young girl at the party had danced with him. All in all, it was a very satisfying evening.

As soon as the last of the guests had gone home, Hoss stood by the table quietly.

"Something wrong?" Adam questioned.

"Nothin'. Just thinkin'."

"In that case, there is definitely something wrong. What is it?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Ben added, coming over from where he had been moving the furniture back into place.

"Me, too!" Joe chimed in. He hopped onto the now half-empty table and waited, staring intently at Hoss.

"Well…" Hoss started, looking at Ben. "Well, I'm jist mad 'cause that dad-blamed _brother _of mine did better with the girls than I did!" Hoss pointed an accusatory finger at Little Joe. He wasn't really angry, just a little surprised at how well his brother had done with the ladies.

"Me?" Joe asked innocently.

"You know something," Adam spoke up. "I agree with you. Joe got more dances than both of us combined!"

"Me?" Joe said again.

"Yes, me—I mean, you. All ya had ta do was look all lonesome and sad-like, and all them purty gals was jist beggin' ta dance with ya!" Hoss continued.

"Me?" Joe repeated, once again.

"Well, maybe this will teach us two things," Adam said, draping an arm across Hoss' shoulders. "One: don't teach our younger brother any more dances, and two: look 'lonesome and sad-like' if you're desperate for a dance!"

"I can't help it if all the girls thought I was cute!" Joe protested. Adam grabbed Joe around the middle and slung him over his shoulder.

"I don't know, Hoss. Do you think we should annihilate the competition? Dump him in Lake Tahoe, maybe?" Adam asked jokingly. Hoss nodded his head rapidly, although he wasn't exactly sure what 'annihilate' meant.

"HEY!" Joe cried. "Put me down! Pa,_ HELP!_ HEY!"

Joe's screams were drowned out by the laughter of his family. Little Joe, however, saw nothing funny in the situation and continued yelling.

"Okay, Adam," Ben finally panted. "You can put Joe down now."

Adam did as he was told. Little Joe glared at the both of them and stormed upstairs to let Rocky out. Adam and Hoss started laughing all over again. Rocky heard the happy sounds from downstairs and ran towards them to join in the fun. By the time Joe came down as well, he had found the humor in what had just occurred and was laughing too.

"Alright, it's pay-back time!" Joe cried as he leapt down the last few stairs. "Hey, Pa, I saw Adam and Belinda leave the house and not come back for a long time!"

"Yes, I noticed that too. What was going on between the two of you out there?" Ben asked, folding his arms across his chest. Adam looked a little uncomfortable.

"Thanks a lot, blabbermouth," he muttered to Joe with a glare. Joe just gave him a huge smile. It looked as if he had a banana stuck in his mouth.

"Well, Pa, it's like this… you see… we were kind of… you know…"

"Yes, I think I know what you were kind of doing," Ben said with a note of disapproval in his voice. "But never mind that now. It's Christmas Eve, after all. How about a story?"

"Yeah!" Hoss and Joe shouted in unison. Even Adam looked pleased at the idea. Their father always read a story to all three of them on Christmas Eve. Adam would sit in the red chair, Hoss would stretch out on the settee, and Little Joe would sit on Ben's lap while he read. Then, just as he was about to get up, Ben would discover that Joe had fallen asleep and would carry him up to his room.

"Okay, but just a short one. It's already 11:00, and Joe should really be in bed…"

"PA! I'm not tired!" Joe yelled in agony. He hated being embarrassed in front of his brothers like this. Adam and Hoss snorted at Joe's outburst. Ben ignored it.

"So, shall we stick to old Cartwright tradition and read _The Night before Christmas_?"

"Of course," Adam said.

"I'll get the book then." Ben made a move for the stairs. He kept _The Night before Christmas _in an old trunk in his room. None of the boys knew where it was kept.

"Pa, can Rocky listen, too? He's a Cartwright now, isn't he?" Joe asked, holding up the little dog, which was wagging his stubby tail furiously. Ben laughed.

"Yes, Rocky can listen too," Ben agreed, and went up to get the book.

When he came back down, Adam was already sitting in the red chair, Hoss was stretched out on the settee, and Little Joe was standing next to the big, blue chair, waiting for his Pa to take him on his lap and begin reading. Meanwhile, the newest addition to the family was lying comfortably in front of the fire, tongue out, lips pulled back in a doggie-smile.

Ben sat down in the chair and pulled Joe onto his knee. The boy smiled and snuggled closer to his father. Everyone—even Rocky—looked at him, waiting for the story to begin. Ben opened the book and started to read:

"'_Twas the night before Christmas_

_And all through the house,_

_Not a creature was stirring, _

_Not even a mouse…"_

_-_

"…_And I heard him exclaim_

_As he drove out of sight,_

'_Merry Christmas to all,_

_And to all a Good Night.'"_

Ben closed the book and glanced around. Rocky's eyes were half-closed, as were Hoss'. Adam was smiling a little to himself, possibly at the memory of a past Christmas. And Joe, as usual, was sound asleep. Ben put the book quietly on the coffee table in front of him, and picked up Little Joe. Rocky noticed that his master was being carried upstairs, so the dog followed loyally.

"I'll bet Joe doesn't even know half the story," Adam commented once Ben was out of sight. "He always falls asleep about half-way through it!"

"Yeah," Hoss replied sleepily. He stood up and stretched. "Well, g'night, Adam. I'm goin' to bed so Santa Claus kin come and leave me my presents."

"G'night, Hoss. Tell Pa I'll be up in a minute," Adam said.

"Okay." Hoss yawned again and trudged upstairs.

Adam looked around at the bare living room. He remembered a similar Christmas five years ago, the last Christmas they had had with Marie…

Adam could see Pa reading the same story in the same chair with five-year-old Joe on his lap. Hoss had been sitting on the floor, one elbow on the coffee table, listening intently. Adam had been in the same red chair, and Marie was sitting, totally relaxed, on the settee.

Joe had tried so hard that year not to fall asleep before the story ended. Whenever his little eyes would start to close, he would open them up wide again. But he failed in the end, as he did every year, and was sleeping soundly as Pa finished the book. Everything had been so perfect then…

The wind scraped a tree branch against the window, bringing Adam back to the present. He walked upstairs to his room.

-

Ben lay in bed, thinking. It had been such a wonderful Christmas Eve! Even Little Joe's constant whining about presents and baths hadn't put much of a damper on the cheerful attitude of the day.

Then he thought of the Christmas Day before them. He just knew that Adam, Hoss and Little Joe would like the presents he had gotten them. For Adam, he had bought a new book from back East, _Uncle Tom's Cabin_, by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Adam was the big reader in the family and was also the smartest, as a result of all the reading.

Hoss' present was a new scarf, which he had been in need of but had patiently waited for ever since one of the wolf pups that Joe had brought home used it as a chew toy. Ben couldn't remember his name exactly, but it was something from Shakespeare. Montague, was it?

Little Joe wasn't as fond of books as Adam but would receive a novel by Dickens—_A Christmas Carol_. Ben had glanced through it at the store and learned it was about an old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge who learned about the True Meaning of Christmas from three spirits. It was supposed to be funny and scary at the same time, which Ben knew Joe would like.

He smiled to himself. Although he had rebuked Joe about whining so often about his presents, Ben couldn't wait to see what the boys had gotten him as well.

Unable to stay awake any longer, Ben closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

_**End of Part Two**_


	3. Christmas Day

_**Christmas, Cartwright Style**_

**_Part Three: Christmas Day_**

**DISCLAIMER: Nope, not mine, never will be. Tough luck. XP**

* * *

"Joe! Psst, Joe!" Adam tried to shake his brother awake, but Joe just turned on the bed with a moan and continued dreaming. 

"Come on, Joe!" Adam pushed his brother again. "JOE!" This time, he pushed so hard that Little Joe fell out of his bed with a loud _thump_. Joe was still tangled in his blankets as he sat up on the floor and glared at Adam through half-open eyes.

"What did you do that for?" he demanded angrily. "I was trying to—"

"Will you be quiet?" Adam hissed, looking over the bed at his brother. "We had this planned over a month ago, remember?"

Joe struggled to his feet and made an attempt to get the covers off of him and back onto the bed. It didn't go very well.

"Yeah, yeah, but did you have to shove me out of bed?" he asked, still annoyed. He yanked off one of the blankets, which had been tangled around his right arm and his middle, and put it back on the bare mattress.

"Yes, I did," Adam replied. "Now will you hurry up? It's five-thirty already!"

"'Five-thirty _already_'?" Joe disentangled himself from a sheet and threw it back onto the bed. "What do you mean 'five-thirty _already_'? Pa won't be up for another half-hour at the very, very, veeerrryy least!"

"You want everything to go well, don't you?"

"Woulda gone better if you hadn't shoved me off the bed," Joe muttered as he struggled with another blanket.

"Will you quit moanin' and get downstairs? Hoss can't carry it by himself, you know." Adam turned and left the room.

"Sure he could," Joe grumbled, finally managing to get all his blankets and sheets back onto the bed. He heaped them all into a big pile, too lazy to remake the bed. He turned to Rocky. "Looks like I don't have much choice. But the least older brother could have done was help me with the blankets."

"So is he awake?" Hoss asked, leaning on the back of the settee.

"Sure. Didn't you hear him mumbling about my shoving him out of bed?" Adam replied. Hoss chuckled. Little Joe was never the friendliest of people in the morning, especially if someone woke him up.

"Well, it's his own fault. He agreed to our plan," Hoss said.

They stopped talking as Little Joe came downstairs with Rocky at his heels. Joe was still pulling his pants up over his nightshirt, not bothering to put a shirt on or take his night clothes off. Adam sighed.

_At least he has a blanket. At least he actually remembered something._

"What?" Joe shrugged, pausing at the foot of the stairs. "I'm going to have to take my clothes off again anyway, so why should I get fully dressed?"

"Just come on, will you?" said Adam. He headed for the door, closely followed by Hoss. Joe tossed the blanket onto the settee and ran out the door after his brothers.

"Stay here, Rocky!" he commanded while shutting the door. Rocky whined and sat down, waiting for his master to return.

"Sheesh! It's freezing out here!" Joe shivered.

"If you had gotten properly dressed, you'd be warmer," Adam scolded. "Not to mention it snowed last night."

"Really?" Joe looked down. His boots were covered in four inches of snow. "Hey, it did snow!"

Soon, the three Cartwrights were out in the barn. They had been hiding a very special surprise in there for weeks now. It hadn't been easy to hide, but they had succeeded. Now it was time to take the surprise out.

"Joe, go up there and uncover our present," Adam said, pointing up to the hay loft. "We don't want straw all over it when we give it to Pa."

"It was your idea, why don't you do it?" Joe muttered under his breath as he climbed the ladder. He crawled over a huge pile of hay and started to move it all to one side, but stopped. A little smile crossed his lips. Joe grabbed a huge armload of hay and threw it down on his brothers.

"What the—?" Adam never finished the sentence as hay rained down on them. It stuck in his shirt and hair and tickled his nose. He sneezed and Hoss did the same. All Little Joe could do was sit up there in the hay loft and laugh until he cried.

"Don't make me come up there and get you!" Adam hollered, shaking a fist at Joe.

"'Will you be quiet?'" Joe giggled, throwing his brother's words straight back at him. He laughed some more and said, "'We had this planned over a month ago, remember?'"

Adam glowered up at Joe, but Hoss couldn't help but laugh. He had to admit, Joe could really get even when he wanted to. Pretty soon, even Adam was smiling a little.

"Okay, up there, just do your job," he said, picking hay out of his hair. Joe giggled again and pulled some more hay off the present. He smiled as soon as it was in clear view. Adam, Hoss and Joe had been working on this for months, and now it was finally time to give it to their father. He would be so surprised!

Joe looked it over and made sure there were no more pieces of hay stuck on it. Then he lugged it over to the ladder, grunting and groaning every step of the way. It was very heavy, especially to Joe.

"Need any help little brother?" Hoss called up, still brushing hay off his shirt.

"No, I can do this myself!" Joe replied, crawling down the ladder and dragging the present with him.

"Careful, don't ruin it now," cautioned Adam.

"If you don't trust me, how come you made me go up and get it?" Joe said, annoyed. "Or were you just too lazy to do it yourself so you decided to let 'Little Brother Joe' do the dirty work? Then again, I can't really blame you for being lazy. After all, laziness is one of the unfortunate effects of getting old. Let's face it, big brother: you're over the hill!"

Hoss laughed again.

"You know perfectly well that I would have done it myself, except you're the only one who can fit into the corner where we hid the present. So will you quit bothering me?" Adam said, scowling up at Joe, who had managed to make it half-way down the ladder.

"I'll take that," Hoss offered, gently removing the gift from Little Joe's grasp.

"Well, at least somebody around here is polite!" Joe hopped off the ladder and stared directly at Adam. "At least somebody has some decency left in him!"

"Why, thank you, Joe," Hoss beamed. "Now, come on. Let's git this inside before we freeze."

"I'd be more concerned if the present froze. It took months to make, you know," Adam said.

"Well, Hoss and I took months to make, too. Or don't you remember?" Joe smiled as Adam and Hoss carried in the present.

"You wouldn't joke the way you are if you had to lug this thing into the house. But seeing as your so puny you wouldn't be much help anyway," Adam retorted. Joe's cheeks turned red and his fists clenched. If there was one thing in the whole world that he hated, it was someone calling him 'puny'.

"You're lucky it's Christmas, or I'd slug you," Joe shot back, opening the door for his brothers.

"Likewise," Adam said.

"Come on, you two," Hoss scolded. "Like Joe said, it's Christmas. You know, the time of _peace_ and _love_? You ain't been showin' much peace and love lately, always at each other's throats an' all. Cain't we have a vacation from all that? Just ONCE?"

"Well…" Little Joe thought it over. "I guess you're right. We can fight any time, but Christmas only comes once a year!"

"This fight has officially been postponed until after the holiday season," Adam announced with a smile. Joe laughed out loud, and then slapped a hand over his mouth, hoping Pa hadn't already heard. Lucky for them, he was still wrapped up in his dream.

"Joe, you go upstairs and wake up Pa while we set up everything down here," instructed Adam. "And make sure you do everything right!"

"I will!" Joe insisted. "But I'll need to take off my pants, and you need to get back in your night clothes as well. We want to make it seem like I got up first, remember?" Joe smirked at the look on Adam's face when he remembered something that older brother hadn't.

"He's right," Hoss said. "Come on, let's hurry up!"

The boys were so busy that they hadn't noticed that Rocky wasn't there to greet them on their way back in.

-

Ben turned from one side to the next then stopped somewhere in the middle, totally absorbed in his dream. He was still begging the Spirit to let him sponge the writing away from the tombstone with his own name on it. He was desperately telling the Spirit that he was a changed man, that he was—

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, PA!" a voice yelled. Ben felt something—or someone—pounce onto his stomach.

"Ow! Watch it!" he scolded, knowing exactly who his wake-up call was.

"Come on, Pa! Wake up! It's Christmas!" Joe shook Ben's arm vigorously.

"Okay, okay, I'm up, I'm up," he replied. Ben glanced at the clock on his bedroom wall. _Six o'clock, _he thought ruefully. _The one day of the year you don't need to wake him up is also the one day of the year HE has to wake YOU up! _

Ben pulled on his dressing gown and left the room. He met Adam and Hoss (both of whom were pretending to be half-asleep) in the hallway.

"And a very Merry Christmas to you, too," Adam greeted sarcastically.

"I'll never understand that Little Joe fer as long as I live," Hoss added with a big yawn. Ben sighed, falling for the boys' act, and went downstairs.

Adam and Hoss smiled at each other. So far, so good.

As soon as his work was completed, Joe bounded out of the room, all but fell down the stairs and almost banged into the Christmas tree. He picked up a box that had his name on it and gently shook it. No noise. Little Joe sighed and glanced at the settee. The surprise present was covered with the blanket he had left there earlier. He smiled. This was definitely going to be the best Christmas he had had ever since his mother died.

Joe stood up and walked over to Ben's desk. There were three gold-framed pictures on it. The first two women Joe had never known, but the third was still remembered and loved. Little Joe picked up the photograph and looked at it. Marie was just as beautiful as he had remembered.

He hastily put the photograph away again as the footsteps of his brothers and father sounded on the stairs. He ran over to the tree and shook another present, trying to find out what it was.

"Joe, don't do that. Whatever's in there might be—what's under that blanket?" Ben made his way over to the settee and placed his hand on Little Joe's blanket, which was still covering the gift.

"Pa, not yet!" Adam pulled Ben's hand away. "It's… well… a surprise that we'd kind of like to save for later."

"Oh," was the simple reply. On the outside, Ben appeared calm and patient. But inside, he was dying to find out what was under the blanket.

Little Joe, however, did not bother to hide his impatience. "Will you just hurry up so I can open my presents already!" he said. Once again, Joe started hopping around from one foot to the other.

"Can't you ever be patient, even for a moment?" Adam sighed, putting his hands on his hips and looking at his brother.

"No! Now will you please just hurry!" Joe replied, still hopping around excitedly.

"Okay, okay," Ben laughed. "You can open your presents now, Joe."

"Whoopee!" Joe leapt into the air and grabbed a box from underneath the tree. "Who is this one from?" he asked, looking at the silver wrapping eagerly.

"That's mine," Hoss said. "Go on an' open it. I've been waitin' for the past three weeks to see the expression on yer face when ya see what it is."

"Hoss, you're almost as bad as Little Joe!" Adam cried.

"Come on, older brother, it's Christmas!" Joe announced, defending both himself and Hoss. Joe tore open the present and peeked inside the box. He pulled out a leather strap that had the word "Rocky" burned into it.

"What is it?" Joe asked.

"It's a collar. Remember Adam made paper collars for the wolf pups you brought home this summer so we could tell 'em apart? Well, I figured Rocky might like one, too. I made it myself," Hoss added proudly.

"Wow! Gee, thanks! I know Rocky will like this!" Joe exclaimed. He looked around. "Hey, where is Rocky? Has anybody seen him?"

"Last time I saw him was just after the party," Ben shrugged.

"Rocky!" Joe called. "Here, boy! Rocky! I don't understand it. Where could he be? I wonder if—"

A little whining sound interrupted Joe's speech. He stood up and walked over to the desk. The others stood watching him.

Little Joe looked at one of the drawers, which was open. His eyes grew wide.

"Pa! Adam! Hoss! Rocky, he's… I mean… he's not a… it's a…"

"Joe, will you quit stammering and tell us…" Adam stopped in mid-sentence. "Pa! Joe's right! Rocky's not a… he's a… it's really a… she!"

"A she?" Hoss asked and came over to the desk drawer. Hoss was the only one who wasn't at a loss for words when he said, "Puppies!"

Ben walked over and looked at his desk drawer. The boys were right. Rocky was lying there calmly with five little puppies who were whining and crawling blindly around. Rocky looked up at the crowd and wagged her tail. _At least there wasn't anything important in there,_ Ben thought.

"I'll be!" Joe scratched his head. "I guess it wasn't all the table scraps that were making him… her… so fat. It was puppies!"

"Looks like you're going to have to rename him… I mean, her," Adam said.

"Are you kidding? I've been calling him—AUGH!—I mean, her, 'Rocky' for the past three months. I think it's a little late to change her name," Joe stopped and smiled. "Hey, what do you know? I just called him 'her' without calling her 'him' first!"

"Joe, I don't understand a word you jist said," Hoss shook his head.

"Neither do I," Joe answered. "Can we continue the present-opening now?"

"You're the one who stopped it in the first place," Adam reminded him. Little Joe just stuck his tongue out, grabbed a box out from under the tree and checked the tag on it.

"This one's for you, Hoss." He handed Hoss the box. "It's from me. I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will." Hoss took it and unwrapped it almost as hastily as Joe had opened his. Meanwhile, Ben took another present out from under the tree and handed it to Adam. They smiled at each other as Adam accepted the package.

As Adam and Hoss were busy unwrapping their presents, Ben's eyes wandered over to the settee with the blanket-covered object. He was beginning to know how Little Joe felt about opening Christmas presents: what could possibly be under that blanket?

No matter how preoccupied they seemed, the boys couldn't help but notice the look in their father's eyes. They gave each other sly, knowing smiles and continued with their own gifts.

"_Uncle Tom's Cabin_, by Harriet Beecher Stowe." Adam read the cover of his new book slowly. "I've heard of this one. It seems really interesting. Thanks, Pa."

"Well, what do you know?" Hoss carefully removed a beautiful leather gun belt from the package. "I've been needin' one o' these."

"Yeah, well I figured I owed it to ya after Montague chewed your old one to little, itty-bitty pieces," Joe replied, giggling at the memory. "Too bad I didn't have the money to replace your scarf and wallet, too. But I do have something else: once the puppies are old enough—and if Pa says its okay—you can have one of them."

"Really?" Hoss' eyes lit up at the thought of having his own dog. He and Joe looked up at Ben with big, pleading eyes. Ben sighed.

"I just know I'm going to regret this later," he mumbled, just loud enough for them to hear. Joe and Hoss cheered.

"Will you please knock it off?" Adam commanded, but he didn't look like he really meant it.

"Adam's right for once!" Little Joe cried. "Let's get on with the present opening!" He picked up a present from under the tree. "This is for Adam—from me. Merry Christmas, older brother."

"Why, thank you, younger brother." Adam took the package with a smile and unwrapped it slowly and carefully. Joe got impatient and cried, "Do you have to open it so neatly? What are you trying to do, save some paper for next year?"

"It's my gift, and I can open it any way I like," Adam replied. Little Joe realized the truth in this, although he didn't want to admit it. He hated admitting that Adam was right and he was wrong.

"Looks like you and Pa are telling me to read a little more," Adam stated as he removed a copy of Shakespeare's _As You like It_. "But how did you know what books I did and didn't have… Joe?"

Joe gave him a wide grin and laughed weakly. "Well, see, it's like this… um… you're never in your room during the day, right? So I kind of, well… you know… I just… so, do you like the book or not?" Joe rapidly changed the subject. Hoss laughed and Adam gave his brother a wry grin.

"Yes, I like the book, thank you. Howzabout you and me sitting down some night and reading it together? I'm sure there'll be a lot of those dictionary words you love," Adam said.

"Uh…" Joe looked away. Hoss laughed harder and Ben smiled. So did Adam. Joe, however, found his way out of it—at least for the moment: "So can we continue opening presents? I haven't opened all of mine yet!"

"Alright, alright!" Ben exclaimed, but he was laughing with the rest of them. "Hoss, this is for you. I think you'll find that it's just what you asked for."

Hoss took the package and unwrapped it as fast as he could, much to Joe's delight. When the lid was removed, a navy blue scarf was exposed. "You're right, Pa, this is just what I asked fer! Thanks! And the color's real nice too."

"I'm glad you like it," Ben smiled. "So, may I see what's under the blanket now?"

"How many times must I tell you, Pa?" Joe wagged his finger at Ben and pretended to be angry, although you could plainly see a smile struggling to spread across his face. "_Not yet!_" Adam looked away, trying not to laugh. Ben, recalling his own words, couldn't help but laugh.

"Then I have to wait?"

"YES!" All three boys shouted. "Now let's see," Hoss looked under the tree. "I think there may jist be somethin' fer me under here… a-ha! Found one! And it looks like it's from Adam."

"Maybe that's because it is," Adam suggested.

"Oh… right." Hoss quickly tore the paper away from the box and opened the lid. Inside was a leather wallet with his initials burned into it.

"Well, the last of my chewed-up items have been replaced. Thanks, Adam." Hoss looked over his present.

"You're welcome. But next time, don't leave your wallet on the floor for wolf pups to chew on, please?" Adam grinned. Hoss gave him a look and said, "Don't you worry none, Adam. I'm gonna take real good care of this one."

"How about me? Can I open another present now?—please?" Joe added hastily when he saw the look Ben gave him.

"Okay, Joe, you've somehow, miraculously, managed to be patient these past five minutes, so I think you can open another present. Here," Ben handed Joe a package from under the tree. "That one's from me."

"Thanks," Joe cried, and ripped the paper off. "_A Christmas Carol_, by Charles Dickens," Joe read.

"That's supposed to be a really good book," Adam said. "It's about—"

"I can read!" Joe protested. "And if I can read, I can find out what it's about for myself! You don't have to tell me everything!"

"Does that mean you like it?" Ben asked.

"Of course I like it!" Joe exclaimed. "And I hope you like yours as much as I like mine."

"I will, as soon as I can open it!" he hinted, looking straight at Adam.

"Not yet, Pa. There are still a couple of presents under the tree. You'll just have to wait."

"Yeah," Hoss agreed. "I think there's still one present under here for you, Adam. It's from me."

Adam took the gift and opened it just as slowly as he had Joe's. This made Joe a little annoyed. _I won't say anything, I won't say anything, I won't say anything, _Joe thought. _But, boy, Adam should hear what I'm thinking!_

"Hey, now this is nice," Adam said as he lifted a rich, gold-colored coat out of the box. "I like the color, too."

"I know ya do, that's why I chose it," Hoss smiled. "Besides, iffen Joe keeps throwin' snowballs with rocks in 'em like he's doin', you're gonna NEED a new coat—you'll get holes in yer other one from the rocks real fast."

"Which I can guarantee will never happen again," Ben said, looking directly at Joe.

"I get the message," Joe muttered.

"Make sure you do," Ben warned.

To lighten the mood, Adam picked up the last box from under the tree and handed it to Little Joe. "Here, it's from me. Merry Christmas."

"Thanks!" Joe tore into the paper enthusiastically. When he saw what was inside, Joe's eyes grew wide, his mouth dropped open and he froze in place.

"Well, don't jist sit there with yer mouth open catchin' flies! Let's see what's in there!" Hoss exclaimed impatiently. Little Joe moved slowly as he gently, carefully, removed a pearl-handle gun from the box. Hoss whistled.

"That sure is a beauty, Shortshanks. Are ya sure it's fer you and not for me or Pa?" Hoss commented jokingly as he gazed at Joe's present.

"No, it's not for you!" Adam snapped, but he didn't look very annoyed. "I got it for Joe and nobody else!"

"And don't you forget it!" Joe added emphatically, still mesmerized by Adam's present. He had never expected to have one of these for at least another year. But how had Adam known that he had wanted it? And besides, Adam had rebuked him every time he got within a foot of the rifle rack. Joe asked Adam all this as soon as he thought it.

"Listen, kid, you'd have to be blind not to see how bad you wanted one of those things. And I told you to stay away from the rifle rack when you were five or eight, not ten. Don't worry, Pa says it's okay, too—not that you ever worry about what Pa does or doesn't say," Adam explained. "There's a box of bullets and a gun belt in there, too. After Christmas, I can teach you how to use it, if you like."

Joe seemed stunned for a minute, and then said, "I'd like that. Thanks, older brother." Joe stood up and wrapped his arms around Adam's middle. Adam returned Joe's embrace.

There was a pause, and Ben broke the silence. "Well, if nobody else minds, I would like to see what's under this blanket!"

"Good idea," said Little Joe, breaking free. "Let's see what Pa gets for Christmas!"

"Yeah!" Hoss added. Ben walked over to the settee and took the blanket off. Underneath was a saddle. It was, of course, made of leather and had intricate detail that only one person could do so well.

"Hoss, did you make this?" Ben asked.

"I did, too," Adam said.

"What about me!" demanded Joe. "Let's not forget me! I helped, too!" Ben laughed.

"You all made this then?" he corrected himself.

"Yes, and I helped!" Joe repeated.

"We know. You just told us," Adam rolled his eyes.

"Well, I did!" Joe insisted.

"This is beautiful!" Ben exclaimed, running his hand over the saddle. "I don't know how you boys kept it a secret for so long."

"We hid it in the far corner of the hayloft," Hoss answered. "And we made Joe go up and get it." Adam grinned to himself at the memory of his little brother struggling with the saddle up in the hayloft.

"Yeah," Joe scowled at his brothers, obviously disgusted by them. "But I got even. I—"

"I don't know how to thank you boys for going through all that trouble," Ben interrupted, not wanting a fight.

"The question was, how _we _could thank _you_," said Adam. "You have to put up with us all year, so that's why we did it."

"Yeah," Hoss put in. "We wanted to… pay you back… I guess."

"But that's impossible, considering…" Little Joe's voice trailed off. Ben understood, and put his arms on Adam's and Hoss' shoulders.

"And I love you, too," he said softly. Pretty soon, Joe had joined the group, and they stood there for a moment, looking up at the star that shone on the highest bough of the tree. All knew that they would remember this Christmas forever.

**Happy Holidays!**

_**The End**_

NOTE: YES, "The Night before Christmas" WAS written before 1852—it was written by Clement Moore in 1822, and so there.

* * *

**Me: There. All done. And I changed some of the text so nobody could accuse me of plagiarism. (AH-HEM) However, I would _never _plagiarize _anybody, _I don't care _what_ you say! XP**

**Dick: Quick question-if they could tell the gender of the wolf pups in your other story, then how come they were surprised to find out that Rocky was a girl instead of a boy?**

**Me: Who cares? It's fiction, and that would kind of ruin the plot.**

**Dick: ...Plot?...**

**Me (ignoring him): Anyway, when I re-uploaded this story, all of the reviews for it got deleted. Sorry 'bout that, but I'd still like to thank everybody who has reviewed for this fic. I really appreciated it!**


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